This unique, one of a kind, workshop is an invitation to all couples who want to enliven their relationship while tapping into your own personal and unique creative expression.

The dynamic container of relationship provides an incredible opportunity for you and your partner to grow into who you were born to be. And being more of who you really are brings a greater sense of passion, engagement and aliveness into your life as a couple.

A partnership is the perfect crucible of personal growth and transformation and can serve as a deep soulful well from which you can draw upon to express your true nature. However, often relationships can feel limiting and confining as we take on different roles or beliefs about ourselves and our partners. Add to that the pressures of work and family and we eventually lose touch with that which is most exciting and alive to us.

We are constantly co-creating our relationship with our partner. But how often do we ask ourselves if what we are co-creating is what we consciously want?

Creativity is the perfect means to confront stifling roles, let go of old belief patterns and challenge yourself to go beyond the limiting definitions that you and your partner have unconsciously fallen into while having fun, deep joy, and passion. Being creative together, and honoring each other’s unique creative expression, allows you to expand and transform into a place beyond definitions and boundaries where you can connect with the source of your own being.

Some reasons this workshop might be helpful for you:

You find yourselves in a relationship rut where nothing has changed in a while

You are struggling with feelings of boredom in your partnership

You are looking for some techniques and methods which will create more fun, pleasure and energy with your partner

You are searching for more meaning and well-being individually and as a couple

You are interested in growing and expressing your truth while being supported and held by your partner

You are wanting to deepen the bond and sense of connection you have as a couple in a new and interesting way

In this workshop you will learn…

• How to engage with and share your creative experience with your partner through co-creative exercises

• Identify and understand your own needs and experience of creativity that you bring to your relationship.

• How to accept, respect, and love your partner’s creative style even if it is not the same as your own.

• How to get the love, support, and acceptance you need to from your partner to really expand and claim your own creative self.

• How to create and hold the container that you both can use for your creative and personal growth.

But what if I’m not an artist?

Creativity is a core part of all of us. It is as intrinsic and essential to your experience of being alive as breathing or walking. Unfortunately we lose our connection to our own innate and alive creative being as we grow into adulthood. However, the good news is that your creative essence is their, waiting for your return. All you need to do is learn a few easy and fun techniques to re-connect with it.

As a result, absolutely no training in art, writing, or movement is required. All exercises and explorations are designed to be experienced by anyone who is interested and curious about their own creativity. They are fun explorations that gently help you challenge the beliefs and limitations that you and your partner hold in your relationship about how alive and engaged with life you can be.

What You Can Expect From This Retreat

We will be using a variety of creative exercises including writing, painting, voice and movement to help you open to your own creative potential while also witnessing, supporting, and being held by your partner and others in the group. These exercises are purposely designed to help you challenge your beliefs in a joyful and loving way, around what you can and can’t do as well as being incredibly fun!

The Place

The Mountain Home Ranch Resort (www.mtnhomeranch.com) is located in the heart of Northern California’s world renowned Sonoma County and Napa Valley.

Mountain Home Ranch Resort is a beautiful haven nestled in a canyon on 340 acres of unincorporated land, at the end of Mountain Home Ranch Drive.

It feels so remote that it’s hard to imagine that it’s just a ten minute drive from Calistoga, and an hour and a half drive from the East Bay.

At Mountain Home there are a wide variety of comfortable accommodations, a beautiful painting studio with plenty of natural light, hiking trails, and a heated outdoor swimming pool!

The ranch is renowned for its gourmet, organic, healthy yet delicious food (lots of protein and veggies, but no skimping on desserts), and meals are a definite high point of the retreat. The cooks at Mountain Home really aim to please, and are very flexible regarding any special dietary needs.

Extensive trails for hiking, a vast array of native flora and fauna, swimming pool, lakes and the award winning cuisine makes this painting retreat a truly nourishing experience on all levels.

One more thing…..

Even though we are clearly a heterosexual pair we designed this retreat and process as something that can work for couples of ANY sexual orientation. EVERYONE is welcome to come and play with us!!

Creativity for Couples

Dates: The retreat starts Friday night at 6pm and goes through Sunday afternoon at 4pm.

Location: Mountain Home Ranch, Calistoga CA

Cost: $850 per couple (includes all art supplies). $200 deposit per couple to hold your space. Food + Lodging are NOT included in the price of the workshop.

Lodging: Because there are many wonderful lodging options at the ranch I have included that information on a different page. For more info click here.

Note: Space is limited to 7 couples.

Experience: You absolutely don’t need to have ANY art experience at all to participate in and to benefit GREATLY from this retreat.

Policies, Disclaimers, and Agreements

Cancellation Policy

All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. If you have chosen to register with a deposit, an electronic invoice will be sent to you to be paid 60 days prior to the event. If you cancel before 60 days of the start of the event we will refund any amount you have paid in excess of the deposit minus a $25 processing fee. If you cancel within 60 days of an event, full payment of any and all remaining costs for the workshop, lodging, meals, taxes, and other fees will be due immediately. All payments are non-transferrable to other services, events, or workshops. Note that some of the retreat centers we work with may have additional cancellation policies that you will need to abide by.

Accommodations

Lodging is offered for some but not all of our events depending on the type of event and venue so please check the event details for lodging options and specifics. For those events where lodging is offered there are limited lodging options so we strongly encourage you to choose something that you feel meets your needs for comfort as well as expense for the entire event as you will not be able to change your lodging during the event.

We try to make sure that all amounts for lodging, taxes, and fees are accurate when you register. However, a venue may change their prices without notice and you will be required to pay the full amount to the venue for lodging, taxes, or fees that may change after you register.

Food

Vegetarian, dairy free, and gluten free meal options are generally available at our events upon request with at least 30 day advanced notice. Other dietary concerns or issues may be accommodated for an extra fee and at least 30 day advanced notice. We cannot not guarantee that every food issue can be accommodated so please contact us regarding your specific concerns.

We try to make sure that all amounts for meals, taxes, and fees are accurate when you register. However, meal prices are subject to change without notice and you will be required to pay the full amount for meals, taxes, or fees that may change after you register.

Art Supplies

Unless otherwise noted, all necessary art supplies will be provided at our live in-person events. We provide non-toxic water soluble paints and paper. The materials that we supply are chosen to enhance the intuitive process and your direct experience of creativity instead of emphasizing the outcome or product. You may bring your own additional water soluble non-toxic personal supplies such as brushes, colored pencils, or chalk pastels if you choose. However, please note that we do not allow oil paints, acrylic paints, spray paint, solvents or any toxic or permanent materials at any of our events. In addition, we do not allow loose glitter at any of our events due to the work and expense involved in clean up. If you plan on bringing additional art supplies not listed above please contact us before registering.

Alcohol & Drug Policy

All of our events, trainings, and workshops are intended to be healing experiences. Your successful participation in any of our events requires that you show up fully to yourself, your feelings, your creative process, your inner life and other members of the circle in a respectful and meaningful way. As a result we do not tolerate the use of alcohol or recreational drugs during the event. Our expectation is that you will not drink alcohol or use any other kind of recreational drug during the time that we are together so that we can all be focused on healing, learning and growing. If it comes to our attention that you are abusing alcohol or drugs during one of our events you will be asked to leave immediately without a refund or credit.

Non-participants and Pets

We do not allow pets, friends, relatives, or other people to stay with you during our time together as they can be a distraction for you and other attendees that will keep you from focusing and participating fully in the event.

Health and Wellness Issues

We support and will accommodate those with special needs to the degree that we are able. However, you must fully disclose any health or mental health related issues that might interfere with your attendance or participation at any of our events. We expect that you will be able to take full responsibility for yourself and will follow any and all doctor's recommendations regarding medications, treatment plans, or other health guidance. Failure to do so in a way that puts yourself or others at risk will result in you being asked to leave the event immediately without a refund or credit. We do not provide nursing or psychiatric care services at our events. Please communicate all of your relevant health needs with us before registering.

Fragrances and Scents

Our events are not strictly fragrance free. However, for the comfort and health of ourselves and of all of our attendees, we request that you don’t wear perfumes or use other heavily scented products. If you have any concerns about scents or fragrances please contact us before registering.

Agreement

By registering and attending one of our events you agree to abide by all of these policies.

About Us As A Couple…

We have been together for 19 years and creativity is the glue, the glitter and the gift that has kept us vital, alive and extremely happy as a couple. Like any two people in a committed partnership, we have our ups and downs. But we have used our capacity to be creative to keep our relationship fresh, dynamic and totally alive. Creativity is a tool for solving real world practical problems AND bringing a sense of play and a childlike capacity for wonder to even the most difficult and challenging of emotional issues.

And A Little Bit About Us As Individuals…

Chris: I am Chris Zydel, Wild Heart Queen + founder of Creative Juices Arts, and I have an unshakeable faith in the power of creativity to heal hearts and to change lives. I also know deep in my bones that everyone is deeply, wonderfully and gloriously creative. I am on a mission to prove that to the world by providing nurturing and joy-filled creative sanctuaries of encouragement, permission and trust in the sacred energy of play and creativity that lives inside of us all.

I also adore my work madly and am never happier than when I am helping people to find their way back home to their authentic creative source.

Tim: I am Tim Lajoie and I hold a deep love and respect for the joy and peace that engaging directly with the creative process can bring. Since I was a small child I have found solace and fun in playing with color and form. Over the years I have expanded my creative expression into music and believe deeply that we are not artists, or painters, or musicians, or writers, etc… we are creative human beings. As the other half of Creative Juices Arts, I have worked with Chris for 20 years co-creating everything from workshops, art studios, and the Creative Juices Arts Expressive Arts Teacher Training program with Chris. As an Art Director in digital media, I have supported, encouraged, and witnessed the creative and professional growth of many artists.

Interviews with a Few of Our
Favorite Creative Couples

As a way to help folks get inspired about the upcoming retreat Tim and I decided to interview some of our favorite creative couples around the joys and challenges of leading a creative life in partnership.

Photographer Keith Dixon and Ren Allen body painter extraordinaire!

Authors Beth and Ezra Barany

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Come and be a part of my wild heart circle of creative soul revolutionaries, magic kingdom makers and the sacred clan of intuitive painting wisdom. I will send you my monthly newsletter and occaisonal emails about my events and classes.

And our other great workshops:

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Come and be a part of my wild heart circle of creative soul revolutionaries, magic kingdom makers and the sacred clan of intuitive painting wisdom. I will send you my monthly newsletter and occaisonal emails about my events and classes.